By james art At the far north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, there’s a different kind of glam that Sin City isn’t known for.
More than 334,000 solar panels shine on the sun at NV Energy’s Dry Lake Solar Project, harnessing the rays’ power and transmitting it to the electric grid for use by the valley’s 2.3 million residents.
The 750-acre solar farm, located across from a natural gas plant, is part of the company’s goal to shift half of its energy sources to renewable sources by 2030.
“This picture here really represents a balanced energy portfolio,” said Doug Cannon, president and CEO of NV Energy. “And that’s really what we’re looking for — to make sure the lights stay on in a way that keeps costs low for our customers.”
The 150-megawatt facility has been operating since the beginning of the year, but only began producing power at full capacity in May. One megawatt is enough power for about 750 to 1,000 homes, according to officials.
Tesla was the contractor for the project, providing 112 batteries that can store 100 megawatts of power. A spokesman said NV Energy has covered the front-end construction costs, but through ratepayers the project will eventually be covered.
Utility-owned solar ensures a local benefit
Among many conservationists in the Nevada desert, increasing solar power remains a hot-button issue. Many projects, including Dry Lake, encroach on desert tortoise habitat. Some remain concerned about large-scale solar construction draining the Silver State’s already limited aquifers.
The Bureau of Land Management, which leased the land to NV Energy for 35 years, released a final version of its Western Solar Plan in September, putting Nevada at the forefront of potential solar development with the most land available for solar applications among all 11 states that the agency maps.
NV Energy’s multibillion-dollar Greenlink transmission line projects will make solar projects in Nevada more feasible by allowing generated power to travel to more densely populated urban centers.
While private solar companies can sell the electricity they generate to other private companies or utilities outside of Nevada, utility-owned projects like Dry Lake are guaranteed to directly benefit their surrounding communities.
Going forward, NV Energy hopes to evolve as new technologies emerge, officials said. Renewable energy is high on the priority list.
“Technology is going to change,” said Danny Strain, NV Energy project director. “We’ll have to see.”
Contact Alan Halaly at [email protected]. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.